Identifying With God's People?

[Overaged]

What is it to "identify with God's people?" What would this look like if we could draw a short word picture of such a thing?

[Gail]

When I read that I think of Daniel and Moses, who both identified with their people Israel even when the people had turned their backs on God.

Jesus is the ultimate example of that. He did not sin, but He identified with us by becoming one of us.

To identify with God's people, when I envision Jesus while reading Scripture or just thinking of Him, then all those who are His are my family.

[12tribes]

Exodus 32:32

(32) Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.

Moses also identified with God's people

Revelation 15:3

(3) And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

[Raphael]

It is not the outward picture depicted in our minds that matters most but more to that feeling of being loved... can a child understand clearly how he or she is so loved... oh no... just only feeling terribly indescribably wonderful (while unconsciously growing in perfection).. something like that...

This is gained, not in even a year or two but in exhaustive marathons... while perhaps, others are far faster...

[Overaged]

Exodus 32:32

(32) Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.

Moses also identified with God's people

This is such a great example from the Bible of identifying with God's people. Apparently; Moses, who was a world religious leader at the time, had so estimated his lot, as to actually see himself as no different than anyone else in the church.

Your quotes from Revelation reflect this principle as carried forth by believers right to the end...

[Overaged]

It is not the outward picture depicted in our minds that matters most but more to that feeling of being loved... can a child understand clearly how he or she is so loved... oh no... just only feeling terribly indescribably wonderful (while unconsciously growing in perfection).. something like that...

This is gained, not in even a year or two but in exhaustive marathons... while perhaps, others are far faster...

When we feel loved by Jesus; it is easier to identify with His people, for God is Love, and Love never fails. (1 John 4:8, 1 Cor 13:8)

[Overaged]

When I read that I think of Daniel and Moses, who both identified with their people Israel even when the people had turned their backs on God.

Jesus is the ultimate example of that. He did not sin, but He identified with us by becoming one of us.

To identify with God's people, when I envision Jesus while reading Scripture or just thinking of Him, then all those who are His are my family.

[Gail]

Nice, Overaged!

I think that the mind of Christ and certainly God's love for others changes our view of others. With me, I feel a camaraderie with humanity in general. Also, Jesus gives me a fellowship and care, dare I say it- a love- for my church family. When that love is guiding, it is hard to condemn and separate ourselves.

On the contrary, when I DON'T feel love for my brethren, I quite naturally condemn their sins because THEY are doing it and I'm not.

[Overaged]

Nice, Overaged!

I think that the mind of Christ ... changes our view of others.

I believe that this is how we could view Nehemiah's prayer here. I mean, this guy was a man of God if anyobody was, and yet he said "we have sinned...and broken your commandments."

I have been quite blown away with how this depicts that every single "Bible great" has had this same identification with God's people principle. There is not one exception.

Whats that say for some of us today?

[Overaged]

Jesus gives us an example of how He identifies with His people:

Quote:

“Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was an hungered, and ye gave Me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me not in: naked, and ye clothed Me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited Me not. Then shall they also answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto Thee? Then shall He answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to Me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” Matthew 25:41-46. {CSA 60.2}

Jesus here identifies Himself with His suffering people. It was I who was hungry and thirsty. It was I who was a stranger. It was I who was naked. It was I who was sick. It was I who was in prison. When you were enjoying the food from your bountifully spread tables, I was famishing in the hovel or street not far from you. When you closed your doors against Me, while your well-furnished rooms were unoccupied, I had not where to lay My head. Your wardrobes were filled with an abundant supply of changeable suits of apparel, upon which means had been needlessly squandered, which you might have given to the needy. I was destitute of comfortable apparel. When you were enjoying health, I was sick. Misfortune cast Me into prison and bound Me with fetters, bowing down My spirit, depriving Me of freedom and hope, while you roamed free. What a oneness Jesus here expresses as existing between Himself and His suffering disciples! He makes their case His own. He identifies Himself as being in person the very sufferer. Mark, selfish Christian: every neglect of the needy poor, the orphan, the fatherless, is a neglect of Jesus in their person. {CSA 60.3}

What can we learn from this in terms of how we might identify with God's people?